There are two undeniable facts when it comes to agricultural water use: humans need food to survive and food needs water to be produced. With these realities, one would initially think agricultural water use would be perceived as a fundamental and critical requirement for the survival and health of a population. In current times, however, … Continued
Recycle water used to boost growth and new development in South Australia. One of SA Water’s largest recycled water initiatives is the Virginia Pipeline Scheme (VPS), which has provided approximately 20 billion litres of high-quality recycled water from the Bolivar Wastewater Treatment Plant to roughly 360 customers in the northern Adelaide area every year for … Continued
As our changing climate continues to increase the need for sustainable and weather-independent water sources, there are significant opportunities for Australia’s water industry to expand the use of treated wastewater. While substituting recycled water for flushing toilets and irrigating gardens provides benefits to managing the country’s water supply, less than 20 per cent of Australia’s … Continued
The gas trapped in Antarctic ice cores is known to provide unique insights into Earth’s ancient atmosphere. Perhaps lesser known is the value of gases in Australian groundwater – the terrestrial equivalent. That’s because underneath parts of our flat, dry, ancient continent runs – very slowly– some of the oldest water on Earth. A new laboratory at … Continued
Australia can learn from regulatory changes in the United Kingdom, which could help water utilities put the customer front and centre in a competitive market. Water price regulation is transforming – from frameworks that focus on incentivising cost efficiency and efficient pricing structures, to better engagement with customers about their values and priorities, and using … Continued
Unprecedented investment in Western Australia’s economic productivity at the start of the 21stcentury brought a surge in water demand to support development. Over the past 30 years in Western Australia, average annual water use has grown about 2.8 per cent per year in total – including urban water use (by 1.6 per cent per year), … Continued
You could call it accidental pollution – it’s when medicines designed for humans find their way into rivers and streams, and are accumulated in insects and their predators. In world-first research, freshwater ecologist Dr Erinn Richmond and colleagues detected dozens of pharmaceutical compounds in aquatic insects living in Victorian creeks. She also found that the … Continued
By Ian Wright, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Science; Jason Reynolds, Research Lecturer in Geochemistry; and Michelle Ryan, Lecturer in Environmental Health and Management, Western Sydney University. As the drought drags on, small communities in eastern Australia are turning to emergency water supplies. Often, this means bore water, which has prompted health fears over its high salt … Continued
13–15 June, International Convention Centre, Sydney Leading-edge technology “from outer space” that optimises irrigation will be among hundreds of products and solutions showcased at next month’s Irrigation Australia International Conference and Exhibition. Registrations are now open for both the conference and free exhibition— the southern hemisphere’s largest and highest-profile irrigation event, featuring more than 80 … Continued
Early-bird conference rates close 20th April Registrations are now open for the 2018 Irrigation Australia International Conference and Exhibition. The biennial event – which includes the southern hemisphere’s largest irrigation conference with more than 80 local and international speakers – will be held from Wednesday 13th to Friday 15th June, 2018, at the new International … Continued